Safety starting-crank.



J. H. ROHRER.

SAFETY STARTING CRANK.

APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 7, 1912.

1,1 323, Patented July 21, 1914,

\l I 5* 5 J l 4 lliimllllllllm. V I 55 #iillllllillh 5 Z5 E E! 55 9 Z I INVENTOR Uosicxk H. Rohrer El 4 5- WITNESSES i I ATTORNEY JOSIAH H. ROHBER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

SAFETY STARTING-CRANK.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented July 21, 1914.

Application filed August 7, 1912. Serial No. 713,862.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSIAH H. ROHRER, a

citizen ofthe United States, residing at. Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia v and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety Starting-Cranks, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing' This invention relates to new and useful improvements in safety starting crank for explosive engines, and other devices of like nature.

The primary object of this invention is the provision of a starting crank of such construction, that injury to the user will be prevented, in the event that the explosion occurs prior to the piston reaching its highest point of compression.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a crank of the type above specified, which is so constructed, that when turned in one direction, it will frictionally engage the crank shaft, but upon any tend ency of the said shaft to rotate in a reverse direction, the said crank will release its hold and permit uch movement.

A further object of this invention is to improve and simplify the construction of safety starting cranks, rendering them comparatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture; reliable and eflicient in use, and readily operated. r

With the above and other objects in view, this invention resides in the novel features of construction, formations, combinations, and arrangements of parts to be hereinafter more fully described, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1, is a longitudinal sectional View of my invention, taken on the line X-X of Fig. 2. Fig. 2, is a front elevation of the same. Fig. 3, is a side elevation of one of the gripping members, showing the locking pin. Figs' 4, and 5, show modified forms of the jaws and crank handle. Fig. 6, i a detail sectional view, showing the pin formed upon the crank. Fig. 7 is a similar view showing the pin formed upon the keyed sleeve. Fig. 8, is a detail vertical sectional view, howing the connection between pins and crank.

Referring to the drawings by similar reference characters, throughout the several views, the numeral 10, designate generally a portion of an automobile engine formed with the usual opening 11, through which projects the main crank shaft 12. A supporting sleeve 13, is bolted to the engine 10, and extends in axial alinement with the shaft 12. A shaft 14, is mounted for longitudinal movement within the sleeve 13, and is reduced at its inner end to produce a resilient shoulder 15, arranged to contact with the spring 16, which surrounds the said reduced portion 17, and contacts with a washer 18; the latter being limited in its rearward movement by stops 19, threaded in the sleeve 13, and projecting into the interlor thereof. A clutch head 20, is keyed to the inner end of the supplemental crank shaft 14, and is formed with a series of curved slots 21, arranged upon the inward movement of the said shaft 14, to engage the pin 22, carried by the main crank shaft \12. These slots 21, are arranged in the ii usual manner, so that upon the rotation of the shaft 14, in one direction, the shaft 12, will be rotated; but upon the rotation of the said shaft 14, in an opposite direction,

the shafts 12, and 14, will be disconnected. l

A sleeve 22, is keyed as at 28, to the forward terminal of the shaft 14; while surrounding the shaft 14, and contacting with the end of the sleeve 22, is a second sleeve 24, lWhlCh latter is held against any undesired movement by a circumscribing flange 25, formed upon the shaft 14. Friction gripping jaws 26, and 27 engage the sides of the sleeves 22, and 24; while pivoted to these jaws 26, and 27, are coacting jaws 28,

and 29, of asimilar nature, arranged to engage the opposite sides of the sleeves 22, and 24. The free ends of the jaws 26, and 27, terminate in cam extensions 30, and 31; while the free end of the jaw 28, is formed to produce a fulcrum member 32, which is pivotally connected as at 33, to the crank arm 34. vThis crank arm 34, is provided at one end with an operating hand grip'35,

and at its opposite end with a cam recess 36,

adaptedto form a seat for the cam extension 30, of the jaw 26. The jaw 26, adjacent the cam extension 30, has formed thereon a rearwardly projecting pin 37, for engagement with a recess or aperture 38, formed in the flange 39, which is provided at the outer end of the sleeve 24.

The foregoing shows one form of ratchet action, but it'should be mentioned in this connection that any other preferred form by the crank arm 34, and serves to yieldingly limit the movement of the crank arm 34, relative to the shaft 14.

A portion of a frame is shown at 42, and

has secured thereto a sleeve 43, in which is slidably located the rod 44, upon which is formed the bracket 45. The aw 29, is fulcrumed to this bracket 45, in a manner similar to the connection between the jaw 28, and the crank arm 34; while the upper end of this bracket 45, is indented to produce a cam recess 46, which seats the cam extension 31, of the jaw 27.

The jaw 26, is formed at one side with a oerforated ear 47, to which is connected a link 48. An car 49, similar to the car 47, is formed upon the crank arm 34, and to this ear is pivoted the elbow of a bell-crank lever 50; one arm of which is held normally in parallel relation to the arm 34; while the other arm of the lever 50, projects at an angle, and is pivoted to the adjacent end of the link 48.

As shown in Figs. 4, and 5, the jaws can be bifurcated instead of the crank arm and bracket.

It is desired to call special attention to the manner of fulcruming the jaws, as it is necessary to locate the fulcrum points in close proximity and in the manner shown,

to attain an efficient and operative device which will withstand the strain to which the various parts are subjected. It will be readily seen from an inspection of the drawings .and by viewing particularly, Figs. 2, and 8, that the recess 36, for the cam extension 30, is extended inwardly from the end of the crank 34, while pivotal connection 33, is formed by cutting the interior or proper portion of the crank .to produce a curved seat 51, which slopes to a point adjacent the seat 36, and receives the boss 32, which is thus held therein between the adjacent sides :1

of the crank 34. The jaw is curved downwardly from the boss and out through the side of the crank as shown.

The operation of the device is as follows: In the event of a backfire, the tendency of the shaft 14, to move the crank 34, in a reverse direction, will cause the followingoperation, which prevents the crank 34, from being turned back enough to injure the operator. The backward tendency of the jaws 26, and 28, and crank 34, causes the pin to press on the flange of the sleeve 24, giving 7 the latter a backward tendency, which is positively resisted by the ratchet action of the members 27, 29, 41, and 44. This resistance destroys the gripping action of the jaws 26, and 28, on the sleeve, by spreading them, and consequently the shaft 14, and sleeve 22, turn backward with no corresponding mot-ion of the crank arm Owing to the arrangement of the various parts, a movement of the crank 34, of one half of an inch releases the same, and in the operation of the device, there is no heavy strain on any of the parts. It is necessary in turning an engine over compression, to start the pull upon the crank handle when the latter is in its lowermost position of its travel.

In order to release the crank from the shaft, so that the same can be moved to its lowermost position without necessitating a rotation of the shaft, the lever 50, and link 48, are employed by means of which the jaws 26, and 28, can be spread, which permits the rotation of the crank 34, independently of the shaft.

From the foregoing, it will be manifest that a safety starting crank for engines is provided, which will fulfil all of the necessary requirements of such a device.

Having thus fully described this invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is 1. The combination with ashaft,of sleeves carried by the said shaft, gripping jaws engaging said sleeves, a connection between one sleeve and the gripping jaws of the other sleeve, a supported bracket operatively connected to one set of gripping jaws, and a crank operatively connected to the other set of gripping jaws.

2. The combination with a shaft, a sleeve keyed therein, gripping-jaws engaging said sleeve, a second sleeve loose upon said shaft and connected to the gripping-jaws engaging the keyed sleeve, a second pair of gripping-jaws engaging the loose sleeve, a bracket engaging one set of gripping-jaws, and a crank operatively connected to the other set of gripping-jaws.

3. The combination with a shaft of a sleeve keyed thereon, a second sleeve loose upon the shaft, a pair of gripping jaws engaging each sleeve, a connection between the first sleeve and the gripping aws of the second sleeve, a bracket, a crank arm, one jaw in one pair beingfulcrumed to the bracket and the corresponding jaw in the other pair fulcrumed to the arm, cam extensions formed upon the other jaw in each pair, and said bracket and crank arm being formed with recesses to receive said cam extensions.

4. The eombination with a shaft, of a sleeve keyed thereon, a second flanged sleeve rotatably mounted thereon, a pair of gripping jaws engaging said sleeves, cam extensions formed upon the like jaws of each pair, a pin formed upon the cam extension of one gripping jaw engaging the keyed sleeve, and entering an aperture formed in the flange of the second sleeve, fulorums formed on the other jaws of each pair, a crank and a bracket, said fulcrums being connected to the crank arm and bracket, and said crank arm and bracket being both formed with recesses to receive the cam extensions.

5. The combination with a shaft, of a sleeve keyed thereon, a second sleeve formed with a flange and loose upon said shaft, a pair of gripping jaws frictionally engaging each sleeve, said jaws of each pair being pivotally connected, cam extensions formed upon the like jaws of each pair, a pin formed upon the cam extension of the gripping j aw engaging the keyed sleeve and entering an aperture formed in the flange of the second sleeve, fulcrums formed on the other jaws of each pair, a crank arm and a bracket, one of said fulcrums being connected to the crank arm, and the other fulcrum to the bracket, said crank arm and bracket being formed with recesses to receive the cam extensions, a link pivoted to one jaw, a bell-crank lever pivoted to the link and crank arm, a finger extending from one jaw and a spring sleeved to the crank arm to engage the finger.

6. The combination with a shaft, of a sleeve keyed to the shaft, a second sleeve loose upon the shaft, sets of gripping jaws engaging said sleeves, a bracket engaging one set of jaws, a crank operatively engaging the other set of jaws, and a connection between the loose sleeve and the crank.

7 Thecombination with a shaft, of a sleeve thereon, gripping jaws engaging the same, a crank, having a recess in one end and a seat located in close proximity to said recess, a cam extension formed upon one jaw and disposed within said recess, and a boss formed upon the other jaw and disposed within the seat, whereby the jaws will be closely fulcrumed and the device strengthened.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOSIAH H. ROHRER.

Witnesses:

ISAAC S. ROHRER, WALTER G. DOWNWARD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

